    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book III)]
    [November 30, 2004]
    [Pages 3027-3028]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the Veterans Health Programs Improvement Act of
    2004
    November 30, 2004

        Today, I have signed into law H.R. 3936, the ``Veterans Health
    Programs Improvement Act of 2004.'' The Act is designed to strengthen
    the management and administration of health care facilities and programs
    for our Nation's veterans.
        Section 414(e)(4)(D) of the Act requires the Secretary of Veterans
    Affairs (Secretary) to include, in a written notice of a mission change
    for any of several departmental medical facilities, an analysis of any
    alternatives to the mission change proposed by the Department of
    Veterans Affairs. The executive branch shall construe this provision in
    a manner consistent with the President's constitutional authority to
    supervise the unitary executive branch and to withhold information the
    disclosure of which could impair the deliberative processes of the
    Executive or the performance of the Executive's constitutional duties.
        Section 501(c) of the Act purports to require the Secretary to
    submit to the Congress recommendations for changes in law in certain
    circumstances. The executive branch shall implement this provision in a
    manner consistent with the President's constitutional authority to
    supervise the unitary executive branch and to recommend for the
    consideration of the Congress such measures as the President judges
    necessary and expedient.

                                                              George W. Bush

     The White House,

     November 30, 2004.

    Note: H.R. 3936, approved November 30, was assigned Public Law No. 108-
    422. This statement was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    December 1. An original was not available for verification of the
    content of this statement.

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